The OnePlus 10 Pro boasts 80W fast charging on its specifications sheet, but fans in the U.S. waiting to get their hands on the phone will have to settle for a peak charging output of 65W. The latest OnePlus flagship went official in China in January, but the company has taken its time to optimize the software experience before it releases the phone in international markets. As OnePlus’ ties with Oppo and its supply chain have grown tighter over the past few quarters, the situation around the software has been a topic of hot debate.
OnePlus merged the codebase of its well-received OxygenOS skin with Oppo’s ColorOS Android interface to speed up the development process and roll out updates at a faster pace. OnePlus announced plans to pre-load its phones in China with ColorOS, but has decided to ship the overseas models with OxygenOS 13 offering a close-to-stock Android experience. But it appears that the differences between Chinese and international variants run deeper than just the software experience.
Ahead of its global launch on March 31, OnePlus posted a detailed breakdown of the OnePlus 10 Pro's performance on its Community Forums. In the post, OnePlus states that in North America, the OnePlus 10 Pro will support only 65W fast charging speeds. The company says this is because the maximum 80W charging doesn't support 110V or 120V AC power, which is a standard on power outlets in the country. The limitation is rather odd, since this is the first time a major smartphone maker has publicly admitted to serving a downgraded version of a marquee feature for North American markets such as the United States.
65W Is Still Pretty Fast
However, North America isn't the only market where OnePlus 10 Pro buyers will be stuck with 65W wired fast charging, if the power supply limitation is applied elsewhere as well. Central American countries such as the Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Panama, and Puerto Rico will also be affected, as none of the aforementioned countries exceed the 120V power supply mark. The situation is much better in Latin America, with only a few countries sticking to the 110V-120V range. As far as Asia and Europe go, nearly every single country on these two continents serves power via 220V-230V outlets. Going by the data compiled by the International Electrotechnical Commission and World Standards, it appears that OnePlus' 80W charging wasn’t made with the North American market as a key priority.
Not getting 80W charging support on the OnePlus 10 Pro might come as a disappointment for potential buyers in the U.S., but 65W is still pretty fast. Looking over at the competition, the OnePlus 10 Pro reigns supreme with a healthy margin even at a lower 65W charging capacity. Take for example the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which doesn’t even cross the 30W fast charging threshold. Samsung’s pricey Galaxy S22 Ultra also maxes out at 45W fast charging. As far as wireless power transfer goes, the OnePlus 10 Pro’s 50W wireless charging tech is even further ahead of the competition.
Sources: OnePlus Community, World Standards, International Electrotechnical Commission